1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cabinet construction and in particular to a breaker collar and shell flange joint for use in an insulated cabinet for a chest freezer.
2. Description of the Background Art
In one form of insulated cabinet construction, the cabinet defines an access opening which is selectively closed by a closure. Illustratively, in a chest freezer, the cabinet defines an upwardly opening cabinet wall structure with a closure lid hingedly mounted thereto for sealingly engaging a breaker collar and shell flange structure extending about the access opening.
A torsion bar hinge structure as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,276, Swanson et al., assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, is advantageous for attaching the closure lid to the cabinet wall structure for many reasons including the fact that passage of the cabinet through a narrow door opening is facilitated since the hinge structure is substantially contained within the closure or lid because no projections beyond the confines of the lid are required. However, a problem may arise in cabinet structure of this type unless provision is made so that on closing of the lid, the sealing gasket provided on the closure lid can sealingly slide against the joint between the breaker collar and shell flange on the access opening of the cabinet without tending to bind against the juncture portions.
One form of refrigerator breaker strip is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,944 of Evans T. Morton, wherein a number of breaker strips are provided, each having an enlarged end connected to the shell flange so as to define an outwardly projecting protuberance against which an element, such as a closure gasket, would tend to bind.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,863, Lowell M. Kurtz discloses an insulated cabinet wherein the shell flange defines a planar wall and the breaker strip defines an inturned distal end underlying the inner end of the shell flange wall.
John W. Pulaski discloses, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,843,286, a refrigerator cabinet breaker strip in one form similar to the protuberant strip of Morton, as discussed above, and in another form similar to the inturned breaker strip form of Kurtz discussed above.
Michael H. Kessler discloses a refrigeration apparatus cabinet construction in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,615 wherein the breaker strip is provided with bifurcated edge portions, one of which underlies the inturned shell flange in a manner similar to that of Kurtz.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,687, Donald J. Spencer discloses a plastic breaker strip wherein the edge of the strip underlies the planar shell flange while extending in a substantially planar configuration.